


Present and Accounted For

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: The Story of Us [13]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: F/M, Family, Holidays, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-30
Updated: 2013-09-30
Packaged: 2017-12-28 00:32:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,955
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/985496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Holidays would be about the family they were and the family they were becoming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Present and Accounted For

** Christmas, 1995 **

“The end.”

“That can't be the end Daddy.” Mary Kate said as she pulled the covers up to her chin.

“I'm afraid it is, Peanut.” Mark held the book open. “There are no more pages left.”

“But they didn’t all live happily ever after.”

“Of course they did.”

“But you didn’t say so.” MK shook her head.

“I didn’t? I'm sorry, let me see.” He scanned down the book’s last page with a thoughtful look. “Oh, there it is. I must have missed it. They all lived happily ever after. The end.”

“OK.” His three year old daughter smiled.

“C'mon MK, it’s time to get in your bed.”

“I wanna stay with Nora.” She cuddled closer to her older sister.

“Well you have to ask nicely if Nora wants you to stay.” Mark said.

“Nora, can I stay?” MK looked at her six year old sister. “Nicely.”

“Yes.” Nora nodded.

“Is that right, Daddy?”

“That’s good sweetie.” Mark smiled. “It’s time for kisses.” 

He started kissing his daughter’s faces and they fell into a fit of giggles. Mark always made sure not to give one more kisses than the other. They were quite young but somehow seemed to know things as complicated as fractions and algebra when it came to their parents’ affections. Nora shared the pillow with MK, both wearing big smiles but clearly sleepy.

“Did I miss bedtime kisses?” Erin asked as she walked into the bedroom.

“No Mommy!” MK was sitting up again.

Erin sat down on the side of the twin bed as Mark moved over to MK’s empty bed. She hugged and kissed her little girls.

“Have you guys picked out names yet?”

“Lorax is the orange one.” Nora said, settling back into bed. “He speaks for the trees.”

“I like that.” Mark smiled.

“What about the gray one?” Erin asked.

“We don’t know. I like Smokey.” Nora said. “But MK and I have to vote. We have to be diplomatic.”

“Where did you learn that word, sweetie?” Mark asked.

“Nan.”

“We’re going to have nothing to do with our daughters being geniuses.” Erin shook her head. She kissed them once more for good measure. “Did you girls have a happy Christmas?”

“I did.” MK beamed. “We get to do it again next year, right?”

“Absolutely.” Her father nodded.

Mark and Erin said goodnight. They checked the night light, the door, and then headed to the master bedroom. Erin’s parents were asleep down the hall. They’d come to Virginia for a family Christmas along with Erin’s little brother Benji. He was staying with a friend of his in DC. 

Erin could only imagine all the partying he was doing since he was on Christmas break from getting his Masters at Georgetown. It was nice to see him even if he did only spend about two hours with the family. Alexander, his twin, said he had to work on the 26th and didn’t want to exhaust himself with the travel. Their mother tried to get him to change his mind but to no avail. There would be time for the family stuff…he was working on making inroads at an advertising firm.

The Cramer clan was in Telluride for the holiday. They always went to their winter house there at Christmas. There would be skiing, cocoa, and family time. Erin had been there three times since she and Mark married. Each time was worse than the one before. She wanted to chew her own arm off to save herself. 

But as much as she didn’t like it, her children getting to know their paternal side of the family was important to her. The girls always had fun with their cousins. The Barbie Brigade was the same as ever and Erin was sure that Nicholas hated her and their children. Being at home now, at their home, was going to become the new standard. 

Whoever wanted to join them was welcome. Whoever didn’t could do what they wanted. Erin and Mark had a family now. Holidays would be about the family they were and the family they were becoming.

“Are you still pissed at me?” Mark began to undress. Since Erin’s father was there this year, he felt the need to put on a good outfit. The day would’ve been much easier in sweatpants but dress clothes had always been Mark’s armor. With Erich Strauss, he definitely needed his armor.

“Why would I be pissed at you?” Erin pushed up the bedroom door.

“The cats.” He said.

“I'm not pissed, Mark. It’s a little insane, maybe a lot insane, but I can never deny the look of pure joy on their faces.”

“I knew if I got a puppy you would’ve killed me.” He said.

“You are so right about that.” Erin laughed. She went into the second drawer, grabbing him a pair of pajama pants and a tee shirt.

“My parents never let me have pets as a kid. They didn’t like mess and didn’t think I would be responsible enough. I think pets can teach children a lot. They learn love, responsibility, friendship, and even bad things like sickness and death. I want our kids to learn those things.”

“Did you have to get two?” his wife asked. “One would’ve been just fine.”

“Two girls, two cats.” Mark reasoned. “They were also a package deal. The guy at the shelter said they were brother and sister.”

“The guy at the shelter saw you coming.” Erin went into the master bath but left the door open.

“Well he said they probably weren’t biological brother and sister but were found together in a box on the side of the road on 95. What kind of asshole leaves a box of cats on the interstate? Luckily they were sent to a no-kill shelter but space there is so limited. They try to adopt the pets out as fast as they can so they can save others.”

“Senator Mark Cramer…friend to all the animals. I’m sensing a new platform come January.”

“Oh ha-ha. I'm just glad the girls love them so much. I know Nora was praying for a puppy. I think they were just happy to see some adorable animals. Kids love adorable animals.”

“And you remain the apple of your daughters’ eyes.” Erin said.

“I'm won't even pretend I'm not delighted in that.”

Mark put his clothes in the hamper for the cleaners. He climbed into bed, wondering what his wife was doing in the bathroom. He fluffed both of his pillows and relaxed. It had been a long day, as Christmas with kids always was. The girls woke with the crows. 

Their parents convinced them to hang out in bed with them at least until 8 a.m. After that, all bets were off. It was time to open presents and do family things. He’d been on the go now for over 12 hours. Erich and Joanna said they would get up in the morning with the girls for French toast. 

Mark just smiled thinking about sleeping in with his wife. Congress was on Christmas recess so he had more time on his hands than usual. Erin was as busy as ever with her job in FBI Cold Cases. This week between Christmas and New Year’s would be the most time they'd been able to spend together all year.

“So, did you like all of your presents, Senator?”

“I really did.” Mark smiled. “The pocket watch was amazing, and the picture that MK made for me was perfect. I had a great day.”

“You'll be happy to know that it isn’t over.” Erin said.

“It’s not.”

“No Senator,” she turned off the light and walked out of the bathroom. “It’s not.”

“Oh wow. Oh…wow.”

She smiled, feeling his love and desire from clean across the room. Erin was six months pregnant, the last thing she felt was sexy. Her sex life with Mark had mostly returned to normal after their reconciliation. There were, however, some days or nights when she was no way in the mood. 

Luckily tonight wasn’t one of them. Tonight she went into her bathroom and came out in a pair of pink lace string bikini panties. The matching lace camisole strained against her expanding belly. Erin could see in Mark’s eyes that it did nothing to diminish his want.

“You like it?” she asked, sauntering across the room in her bare feet. While walking she pulled her hair up into a messy bun, another thing that always turned her husband on.

“Oh yes, sugar, I like it.”

“You wanna taste something sweet?” Erin ran her hands down the sides of her body.

“Come over here and take a load off.” Mark called her over with his finger. “I can help.”

She straddled him on the bed, running her fingers through his hair. He covered her collarbone in kisses, pulling her close to inhale the scent of her skin. Erin wore Estee Lauder’s Pleasures and Mark had fallen in love with it just as she had. It was soft, delicate, and flowery. Wearing it right now only enhanced his excitement.

“Mmm, I love you Mark.” She kissed him. 

“I love you too.” He was already lifting his hips and shaking off his pajama pants. He was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to be deep inside of her. Mark had to take a few deep breaths; didn’t want to hurt Erin in his haste.

Erin had him sit up some so he could move the pillows from behind him. She needed space; there was a lot of belly in front of her. But her hormones were ablaze and she was just as ready as Mark was to be as close as they could be. Erin pumped his cock, not that he ever needed the help, and smiled when he moaned. She loved the way he moaned. She loved the way he quivered when she touched him. Mark put his hand over hers, moving up and down along his shaft.

“You want a hand job?” she asked with a grin.

“I want you to feel good too.” His eyes were closed, one hand gripping the sheets beneath him. “I want to be inside of you.”

“Spoon.” 

“Yes ma'am.”

She climbed off him and onto the mattress. Mark pulled the covers over them as he worked her panties over her hips and down her legs. When their skin touched, he exhaled. Mumbling to himself, Mark reached back and grabbed the lubricant from the nightstand drawer. 

Even when Erin was at her most eager, her body didn’t always do what she wanted it to do naturally. This happened even more so when she was pregnant. When it first happened, they were sure it was going to put a damper on their sex life. One thing the Senator had never been shy about was hitting the sex aisle at the local drug store. If Erin was comfortable and happy then so was Mark.

“Touch me Senator.” She whispered.

“Tell me where.”

“Everywhere.”

After a long day Erin planned to end it on a good note. She’d been the dutiful wife, mother, and daughter and now it was time to focus on herself. Christmas had been wonderful, it always was, and there was so much to be grateful this year. But sometimes Erin just wanted to disappear into the little bubble she and Mark created. No kids allowed, except the one she carried with her for the time being. No parents, no work calls, no excuses for being late, just two people still in love after a decade of ups and downs. Holidays were wonderful for a lot of reasons but this, these moments, would always be the best part.

***


End file.
